Community Report 2023-2024

To our Beacon Hill families and friends,

Beacon Hill hit its stride in 2023, continuing to deliver on our mission to provide a full range of services for seniors to live their best life in supportive community.

That’s true no matter the metric — from resident engagement and satisfaction to operations to finances — and it all stems from one common thread: our incredible team.

We hire people who have the heart for our mission and a true passion for service. Our team knows and expects they’ll be equipped and supported in the delivery of exceptional service.

This, in turn, means our residents know and expect exceptional service from Beacon Hill — and we deliver. You can read more about the accolades our team received in 2023 on page 22.

Connection with our neighboring community sets Beacon Hill apart. We intentionally placed our community in the heart of an active and diverse neighborhood. We’ve purposefully opened our campus, whether inviting our neighbors to our summer concert series, encouraging them to dine in the Bistro or the Café or serving from our food truck on a nearby street. Read more about our wide range of programs on page 16.

It’s been gratifying to watch it happen over the years. An Eastgate mom might encourage her teenage son to walk across the street to buy some fresh bread or neighbors might make plans to join us for our annual summer picnic. All these interactions are seemingly unlikely in a senior community, but they reflect normalcy and allow us to reflect what residents want — or didn’t even know they wanted.

That’s especially true with our culinary program. Under the expert direction of Executive Chef Luke Theaker, our culinary program is second to none, ensuring seniors can continue to enjoy the caliber of meals they’ve expected and experienced throughout their lives. As one of our residents shared,

“ Why cook when you can eat like this?”

No matter where residents are in the continuum of care, from Independent Living to Memory Support, they enjoy delicious meals prepared with fresh ingredients, many of them from our gardens or from a nearby farm. Check out what the culinary team was up to last year on page 8, as well as their focus for 2024.

In looking to the years to come, we continue to build upon the foresight and values of our founders in 1959, whose mission was clear — to provide excellent compassionate care, hospitality and services to serve the needs of older adults in a caring, faith-based tradition.

For the past two years, we’ve enlisted the help of Grand Rapids-based Seamless Ventures to conduct human-centered research so we can continue to create an incredible environment that is welcoming, inviting and caters to seniors in Grand Rapids with the same warmth and dedication we have committed to for these past 65 years. You can read more about how this research is powering our growth on page 4, and of course we’ll be talking about our plans in the months to come.

We are grateful for the support from our entire community in 2023 and look forward to an exceptional 2024.

Best regards,

Jeff Huegli President and CEO

Our Mission

Motivated by the love of Christ, to provide a full range of services for seniors to live their best life in supportive community.

People First

Using Human-Centered Research to Reimagine Senior Living

People — not facilities — are driving Beacon Hill’s growth plan.

WE have always been deliberate with our growth, listening to our residents and members of our community to truly understand what they want. Before planning more significant investments in our community, we want to ensure we create peoplecentered — rather than building-centered — designs that place resident, staff and community needs at the core.

To achieve this goal, we partnered with Seamless Ventures, a Grand Rapids-based firm that provides research, consulting, testing and related services to organizations focused on innovation, expansion and strategic growth, to dig deep into the changing wants and needs of seniors. The 18-month project sought to understand and inform state-of-the-art experiential, wellness and social needs so we can continue to exceed our residents’ experiences.

“As we look ahead we wanted to establish an intentional path for progressive design that incorporates adaptive systems, cutting-edge technology and meaningful interactions to better serve our residents now and well into the future,” President and CEO Jeff Huegli explains. “We want to create a high-quality living environment that is both sustainable and affordable for residents. We want to find ways to keep a smaller footprint while making the spaces live big.

“Throughout this planning process, we’ve surrounded ourselves with partners who have a shared vision to help us develop an incredible environment that’s welcoming, comfortable and technology-rich, allowing our residents to live an optimal life.”

Seamless began its work with a series of guided tours, in-depth interviews, workshops and job shadows to truly immerse themselves into the environment and lives of residents, community members on the waiting list, staff and other stakeholders in the Eastgate neighborhood. One exercise had residents build their ideal living environment.

Drawing from thousands of hours of research and copious data points, Seamless developed a set of design principles that will act as a true north directive for future growth projects. The design principles provide direction and framework on how to make living spaces adaptable, eliminate environmental obstacles, magnify care and interactions, preserve relationships and much more.

One of the most significant research takeaways was the desire of residents to cultivate and preserve relationships. Community helps give purpose and meaning, and our residents want to invest in and retain relationships as they move throughout the continuum of care.

“I didn’t go into this research knowing what the outcome would be,” Clinical Director Amanda Daggett explains. “I knew the residents had an idea of what kinds of spaces they want, but it was really that sense of community and those relationships that came out as some of the

most important things for them. It made us ask ourselves: How can we foster that as we plan for future growth?

“That is the biggest reason why residents are reluctant to move from Independent Living to Assisted Living — they’ve built these relationships and are involved socially. They have this huge concern of disconnection from their spouses and friends. That was one of the big insights that came out of our research.”

In addition to a strong sense of community, innovative technologies and convertible spaces will play a crucial role in future growth projects. Enabling residents to live their fullest potential is our mission, and our research identifies ways to explore technologies, services and spaces to encourage habits that promote longevity and discourage isolation.

“Ensuring human touch is in every form of care at Beacon Hill is essential,” Huegli explains. “In terms of technology, it will never replace our staff, but it will ‘supersize’ them. That’s really what we’re looking for in this research — ways to enable our very best caregivers to provide even higher levels of care.

“Our hallmark is to know residents and their stories and anticipate their needs. That’s what I think technology is going to do for us. It’s going to help create community, and it’s going to enable it all the more.”

The research also focused on how clinical and other members of our staff use space and what needs were not properly met by their current workspaces. The research will drive methods to remove hurdles so staff can make decisions that prioritize residents over anything else.

“That’s the beautiful thing about primary research,” Huegli explains. “It’s not static. In its application, we can modify and learn even more just from using the data in different forms and looking at it through different lenses.

“If we can find a way to create a service model that meets residents where they are and helps them achieve a level of wellness they never dreamt of, then that’s mission accomplished for Beacon Hill — and that’s what this research is all about.

“We’re committed to this site, and we’re committed to the Eastgate neighborhood. No matter where the organization grows in the future, the strategic objective is to reinvest our intellectual capital back into the community, to support the growth of the entire organization.”

Building a Sustainable Future for Generations to Come

Led by passionate and engaged residents, Beacon Hill wrapped up the first phase of its Community Sustainability Initiative in 2023 and established a playbook to guide its next steps. THAT first phase was marked by exploration and engagement as residents gathered together to learn, share, question and plan. Beacon Hill tapped internationally recognized sustainability expert Joe Rinkevich to guide the process, which included hosting two community knowledge sessions, gathering baseline data on usage, and requesting ideas from residents and staff for reducing the environmental impact of daily activities.

Nearly 100 residents participated last year, growing from the 18 grassroots members of the Environmental Action Group who first convened in 2019 to tackle the issue of reducing waste and improving sustainability efforts around water, energy and materials. Two discovery sessions allowed residents to brainstorm actions that ranged from simple and immediately doable — using powder detergents to reduce plastic bottles

for water-based options — to options that would require a longer runway — installing solar panels.

Residents prioritized their actions by considering the impact and feasibility of each — the greater their impact and feasibility, the higher their priority. They also factored in the economic value of sustainability, noting that in many cases, an upfront financial investment would yield savings in water, energy or materials. Where the economic win might not be so clearly defined, they suggested exploring federal and state grants.

“This work inspires those who work on it,” Rinkevich says. “This project is an on-ramp for all sorts of ideas. For example, one of the residents is very proactive on reducing materials sent to landfill. She purchased beeswax-coated cotton cloths that are infinitely reusable and made them available to her fellow residents.

“If you think about the leftovers coming from Beacon Hill’s restaurants that need a plastic container or aluminum foil cover, that adds up over time. But if everyone is outfitted with their own beeswax wraps, that helps reduce materials such as plastic wrap going to landfill over time. You can make some real strides in obvious places.”

That motivates resident Barry Johnson, one of the original members of the Environmental Action Group who was all in for the first phase of the Community Sustainability Initiative.

“Someone has to take the first step,” Johnson says. “It may seem small, but if even one person could change, think about the impact.

“Our emphasis is not just for today. We’re thinking about creating a better world for our grandchildren — and all children. That’s what we are really striving for.”

Work began in March 2024 on the second phase of the plan: building out the formal Sustainability Plan, including what gets measured, prior actions, accountability statements and decision-making processes for the first chapter of implementation. In the next phase, Beacon Hill will dig into the specifics, addressing questions such as: How will we measure and keep track of our results? What are the goals in each particular area to see how we’re doing? If we achieve them, what does the celebration look like? If we fall short, what are the accountabilities to help us next time?

“We are ready to begin building a document that will be the community’s Sustainability Plan,” Rinkevich says. “We’re planning an initial carbon footprint inventory along with pilot activities for residents and staff so they can benchmark where Beacon Hill is on certain issues, including recycling, energy use and local water quality.

“We will then track data and overlay it on the plan and, after board approvals, it will be off to the races on implementing the plan over the next few years.”

Board member Matthew Zimmerman wholeheartedly supports this approach.

As an environmental attorney, he regularly works with clients on sustainability.

Sustainability Advisor Joe Rinkevich leading a discovery session with residents, October 2023.

“This is an important initiative for any group,” Zimmerman explains.

“It’s a global problem, but we in the U.S. contribute more than our fair share to it. It’s our duty to try and contribute to minimizing the problem. Where we at Beacon Hill — and not just the residents, but the staff and board, too — can afford to do something and we’ve got leadership encouraging it, that’s where we need to focus. That’s the perfect spot to accomplish some things in the sustainability world.”

Rinkevich sees Beacon Hill as one of the first movers in the continuing care sector. While many wellknown consumer brands launched sustainability efforts years ago, some touted progress before achieving measurable results. Continuing care communities are still at a very nascent stage of the movement. Beacon Hill intends to take things one step at a time, with engagement, learning and evidence-based progress as core values of the work.

“Beacon Hill is taking on this effort as part of a broader effort of being a responsible community citizen, doing our part to help our local neighborhood and community while reducing our impact on the environment. With steps small and large, we can build toward a more sustainable future for generations to come,” said Ashley Edwards, a member of the Steering Committee and Beacon Hill’s Marketing and Communications Director.

Curating Exceptional Dining Experiences

Food isn’t just a way to nourish the body — it’s an avenue to start conversations, to reminisce fondly with friends, to explore new flavors. Food fosters community.

OUR culinary team’s work is all about enriching the lives of residents through the community dining creates — and delivering unexpected results. In 2023, the culinary team continued to create offerings that ensure residents receive delectable food and warm service as they move throughout the continuum of care.

“We’ve created these wonderful restaurants and programs, so now we can put our heads together and find innovative ways to elevate our dining operations even further,” Executive Chef Luke Theaker says.

“ We don’t ever want to be stale. We want to continue to give residents unexpected experiences and more accessibility than ever.”

CULINARY EXCELLENCE ACROSS THE CONTINUUM

Sitting down to enjoy a meal with others is often the most impactful part of residents’ days.

“Dining is one of our residents’ main social aspects,” 1845 Dining Room Manager Brandon Nequist explains. “It’s their communal time. We believe it’s so important for our residents to have meaningful dining opportunities — it allows them to be social and spend more time outside of their rooms.”

For our culinary team, a major focus in 2023 was unifying dining operations between Independent Living and Assisted Living.

“One of the biggest goals for us has been easing the transition for residents who go from Independent Living to Assisted Living,” Nequist adds. “We want to make sure food is something residents who are moving don’t have to stress about. We want them to know the quality of food and service is going to be the same.”

Providing that sense of community and access to the best-in-class cuisine Assisted Living residents have come to expect in Independent Living has driven a host of new programs in partnership with Life Enrichment.

A new favorite program is Armchair Travel Days, which immerses Assisted Living residents in different countries — all from the comfort of

home. Throughout 2023, residents “traveled” all over the world and dined on exotic cuisines prepared in-house at Beacon Hill. From Finlandinspired reindeer (veal) meatballs with roasted root vegetables to Brazil-favorites coconut shrimp stew with brigadeiros, residents experienced dining and culture without having to leave their community.

When residents aren’t exploring the culinary wonders of the world, they can enjoy themed lunches and activities surrounding Mardi Gras, Valentine’s Day and other seasonal celebrations.

To provide even more flexibility, Independent Living residents can now order room service and have dishes conveniently delivered to their doors. Eastgate Eats, which is slated to launch in 2024, will expand this delivery service of meals from the Independent Living restaurants to Assisted Living residents.

“Our online ordering is so great because it offers residents more independence,” Theaker says. “It gives them more autonomy and allows them to live the lives they want to live.”

Just in time for the sunny summer months, our culinary team launched weekend brunch at The Garden Café, which featured coffee and light pastries residents could enjoy in a light and airy setting while taking in the serene view of the community garden. The brunch soon blossomed into a hot breakfast buffet, which now offers an elevated experience — and something residents look forward to throughout the week.

Beacon Hill’s food truck, Traveling Plate, officially hit the road in 2022 and served up a rotating menu of handpicked meals using ingredients from the half-acre community garden and local purveyors. A unique dining experience, the Traveling Plate delivered culinary adventures weekly outside Beacon Hill, growing a fanbase and serving our Eastgate neighbors. The Traveling Plate also set up shop at Horrocks Market in Kentwood and has plans to expand its footprint even further in 2024.

1 - Assisted Living residents enjoying Destination Dining. 2 - Eastgate Eats - the 1919 restaurant delivery service. 3 - The Traveling Plate at Horrocks Market. eastgate

NEW BEVERAGE PROGRAM ELEVATES DISHES

In October, the culinary team introduced an expanded beverage program, which gives residents the option to enjoy an alcoholic beverage with their meals. To ensure all residents’ diverse tastes and preferences are met, the beverage program encapsulates a broad range of offerings and includes teas and locally roasted coffees as well as expertly crafted mocktails. The new beverage offerings have been meticulously selected to complement each restaurant’s menu, allowing all diners to explore a range of flavors and pairings to elevate the dining experience.

“Our beverage program has curated a more intentional, well-rounded dining experience and really serves our goal of bringing innovation to the table,” Theaker explains. “This new program is about bringing the whole beverage menu together to enhance our dishes.”

Independent Living residents can now store wine in their own wine lockers, which are available for purchase and located next to The Club Room. Residents who own a wine locker enjoy exclusive benefits, including wine tastings, quarterly wine dinners, special pricing on in-house wine and so much more. The wine lockers not only age wines properly, they symbolize the outstanding hospitality residents receive at Beacon Hill.

PROUDLY SERVING AMONG WEST MICHIGAN’S FINEST RESTAURANTS

In November 2023, Beacon Hill’s culinary team went toe-to-toe with some of the finest restaurants in West Michigan as the only retirement community participating in the Grand Rapids International Wine, Beer and Food Festival.

The menu included dishes that represent all of our dining venues and included toasted masa cakes, all-natural apple ginger chicken, tinned fish and a pumpkin truffle — all options that have been served at Beacon Hill.

“I’m really, really proud of what we were able to put into that showcase,” Theaker says. “Our booth represented what Beacon Hill does. If we’re going to do something, we’re going to do it completely and with a lot of passion. We received many compliments that we had the best food at the festival.

“When I think of the best food that’s being offered in West Michigan, I think of Beacon Hill. It’s a natural progression for us to attend the festival and show off what we do for our residents day in and day out.”

Creating Moments of Joy

EVERY Beacon Hill resident has different ways of finding happiness. Some cherish waking up early to have a cup of coffee, others enjoy taking a stroll through the gardens while others find pleasure in attending our scores of enrichment programs. What gives one resident fulfillment may not be the case for others.

By learning their stories, Beacon Hill can create more moments of joy for all residents — no matter where they may be on our continuum of care. That’s particularly important for residents in Memory Support.

“One of our goals is to better understand our residents’ lives before they came to Beacon Hill,” explains Gayle Wolffis, who joined Beacon Hill in 1997 and now serves as Director of Social Services and Dementia Care Coordinator. “We want to know their life stories, their preferences, what provides them that comfort throughout the day.

“It’s not always easy to figure out. Sometimes, it takes going way back with a resident to understand what they truly enjoy. We often think we know, but we don’t. We then share these individual needs with their primary caregiver so they know, ‘I need to give them that cup of coffee in the morning that will make their day.”’

Our dementia care team truly gets to know residents and their personal needs so they can be recognized as individuals, not only as residents with dementia. It’s this person-first mentality that has driven our dementia care team to adapt and grow with the evolving needs of our residents.

“What residents found engaging 10 years ago isn’t the same as for residents who are coming into our Memory Care unit now,” Clinical Director Amanda Daggett explains. “They’re not entertained by the same things; they don’t have the same preferences. We have had to get more creative over time.

Memory care residents playing Tovertafel, an awardwinning interactive experience that uses a projector to display games designed to provide mental and physical stimulation.

“Dementia programming isn’t one-size-fits-all. We looked at the whole person we serve and asked what would make our dementia program meet their needs? What is true as they move across the continuum of care at Beacon Hill?”

These insights helped form our new dementia care program, which identifies individual needs and preferences and lays the blueprint for future programming and other imaginative ways to bring more moments of joy to residents at all levels.

“Creating moments of joy can be anything,” Daggett explains. “We look at what makes residents have good days, what they find entertaining. We acknowledge their feelings and find ways to make them feel accomplished and give them purpose throughout the day.”

Our dementia care team has begun to implement new programs and care offerings that promote joy through quality, individualized care, creative movement, high-quality dining experiences, thoughtful education and so much more.

“We’re starting the approach that dementia is present, so how are we going to embrace it?”

Wolffis explains. “How are we going to allow those individuals to thrive? How can we get to know them better?”

One 2023 addition is a game console that has been bringing cheer to caregivers, residents and their loved ones. Thanks to a generous grant from The Beacon Hill Foundation, our dementia care team was able to purchase a Tovertafel, an awardwinning interactive experience that uses a projector to display games designed to provide dementia residents at all levels with mental and physical stimulation. Dutch for “magic table,” the Tovertafel comes with more than 40 games designed to encourage movement, social interaction and — most importantly — fun.

“I saw a resident having a riot ‘swatting flies’ at the Tovertafel — that was a moment of joy for her,” Wolffis says. “We had a resident who was in assisted living, and his wife was in dementia care. Their kids would visit, and they would bring her and her husband to the Tovertafel so that they could play some games together. That was its purpose — to allow engagement and bring people together in shared activity.”

Also new in 2023 are life stations, which are interactive areas with familiar objects that help residents connect with a task they are comfortable and familiar with. Life stations can be as simple as sorting silverware and folding baby clothes or as extravagant as picking flowers for a bouquet to grooming and dressing robotic therapy pets. The life stations help give residents a sense of accomplishment and help them connect with routine tasks they may no longer do.

“The life stations are used with residents looking for comfort in familiar activities,” Daggett explains. “If a resident doesn’t enjoy a particular station, we put it away and find something else that brings them joy. We want these in the common areas so residents can independently float through the space and find engagement in that way.”

We provided all-new dementia care training in 2023 for our employees, including those who don’t work with residents in this area, to help them identify the early signs of dementia. Early interventions and programming can make a significant difference in a resident’s daily life. The specialized training focused on re-learning dementia and how to live and embrace residents’ realities.

Education isn’t limited to the walls of Beacon Hill — we offer dementia care training free of charge to the loved ones of residents to ensure they are equipped with the latest information on how to best support their people. Looking ahead, our dementia care team will continue to explore new ways to educate the Beacon Hill community about dementia and break through the stigmas associated with it.

“There’s a sign in my office that says, ‘Make Today Amazing.’ It’s really about creating moments of joy and amazement for residents. Seeing the smiles on their face, receiving the hugs from them and knowing residents’ families trust their parents are cared for and loved.”

“Nobody Asked Me”

Discussions Prompt Reflection, Grief, Healing

“Dad, it’s time to stop driving — for your safety and others.”

“Mom, we don’t need you to host Thanksgiving this year — come to dinner at our house and just enjoy.”

While these may sound like wellintentioned ideas from caring adult children, Rev. Howard C. Earle Jr., D. Min., knows it’s likely neither will be heard that way. As Director of Spiritual Care for Beacon Hill, he’s started a successful discussion series titled “Nobody Asked Me” that lets residents talk through their feelings about the changes that happen with aging.

“Our residents have lived their lives as active, high-achieving, engaged individuals,” Earle notes. “Then due to age, things start to happen — whether they want them to or not. Our bodies begin to break down and fail. One day, our life partner gets sick and dies or we slip and fall or we simply can’t care for ourselves any longer and need to downsize and move.

“There’s such commonality in these experiences that I thought it would be good to have a forum where our residents can process what’s happening to them. How do you react, for example, when someone tells you that you have to stop driving? That’s such a big piece of your independence suddenly being taken away from you.

“We lead with that prompt, ‘Nobody asked me…’ and then follow it up with an issue such as ‘…if I wanted to give up my keys.’ The discussion revolves around all things connected to that experience. My goal is to create an environment where people can be honest and candid, whether it was ‘I hate not driving’ or ‘I knew it was time for me to stop driving because I didn’t feel comfortable.’

“To be able to say some of these things aloud and have others around you who feel the same things creates a sense of community.”

This candid dialogue on the realities of aging began in late fall of 2022 and evolved into a weekly discussion group the following year that quickly became tight knit and invested in the opportunity. Earle creates a weekly prompt that starts the discussion. Topics have focused on health, grief, holidays, activities and more.

“Some weeks are heavier than others,” Earle notes. “You never know how something is going to hit people — for one couple, taking the children to Disney for the first time may be a fond memory. For a couple who lost a child, that memory evokes very different feelings.

“In some way, loss and grief show up as ongoing themes in many of our discussions. The intention is not to make it heavy; the intention is to allow people to process. What is important is to allow yourself to feel what you feel.”

That resonates with Woody Peterson, who moved in with his wife when Beacon Hill first opened. Now 86, Peterson says he’s always “running into things we had no choice about,” such as losing his car, giving up making music and stepping back from carpentry.

“Nobody asked me if I was ready for these,” Peterson reflects. “The car, for example, is a big loss. It’s inconvenient not to be able to drive.”

Fellow group member Duane VanderBrug noted that residents are making “the right decisions appropriate to this season of life,” and the weekly sessions give everyone a safe space to process.

“These are thoughtful reflections on pace with this season of our life,” VanderBrug says. “Howard leads them very well. He’s okay with silence. Most of us take a little longer these days.”

Earle says residents often circle back to him privately to discuss matters they don’t feel comfortable sharing with the entire group. He has coached residents how to have similar conversations with their adult children and, on occasion, stepped in to have those conversations with loved ones himself.

A recent discussion leaned into a football metaphor to focus on the “fourth quarter” of life and how residents feel at this junction. Do they feel as if they are playing from behind or trying to protect their lead? How do they cope with regrets and unfinished business?

Anita Carter joined for the group’s second session and has “loved every minute” of her time.

“Chaplain Howard has given me new perspective on aging,” explains Carter, who’s preparing to celebrate her 94th birthday. “He gives us things to think about. He is very good at bringing out the thoughts of people and their relationship with others, and how that’s affected their lives.”

The sessions proved so popular Earle launched a second group in 2023 that also meets weekly. He blogs about the conversations, sharing them with the larger Beacon Hill community.

“When I started this, I had no idea what would happen or how it would evolve,” Earle explains. “Now, I’m not doggedly tied to ‘Nobody Asked Me.’ I start with a question — as I did a few weeks ago with ‘I knew I was getting old when…’ and see where things go.

“That prompted a lively discussion, with the group saying the answer is relative and really depends on the individual. One person said she knew she was old at 88 — but she was sitting across from a person who was 101. ‘If she’s 88 and old,’ I asked, ‘what do you say to that?’

“The other person responded, ‘She’s young,’ and we all had a good laugh.”

Finding Closure, Connectivity are Key at End of Life

Sometimes, Paul Schultz will build a puzzle with a resident. He’s been known even to watch television or shoot a game of pool in order to connect with someone. Other times, he simply sits at the bedside of a resident, a steady, compassionate presence. No matter their form, such personal connections allow Beacon Hill’s Clinical Care Chaplain to open important conversational doors for those facing the end of life.

“At the end of life, what you’ve got in your checkbook doesn’t count as much,” says Schultz, who came to Beacon Hill with a background in

hospice care. “For each of the people I talk with, relationships are the important thing. They want to be around their loved ones, they want to have conversations — it’s almost a universal experience. “Finding a sense of closure is key — with their friends, family and with God, if they believe. When we think we have all the time in the world, we let certain relationships slide and let other things come into play that, at the end of life, no longer seem as significant.

“I see residents wanting to say some last words or connect one more time with a great-grandchild

they haven’t seen in years or with a sister where the relationship has broken down. I help them with conversations that can be difficult and stressful. I’m there as a sounding board for residents and their families.”

Schultz supports 85+ residents in Beacon Hill’s assisted living, memory support, long-term care and skilled nursing programs. His work also extends beyond campus, supporting family members, loved ones — even staff, who get very close to residents after working with them for years.

“As we approach the end of life, it gives the opportunity to heal old wounds — but it can also bring them up in far more clarity,” Schultz reflects. “That presents some unique challenges for everyone.

“I strive to meet people where they are at. I support our residents by listening carefully and empathetically, then coaching, encouraging and guiding them as they work to find the closure they need.”

Finding a starting place can be challenging, Schultz knows. He talks with residents to help them process their pain and grief while exploring how a rift happened or a relationship broke down. That allows him to encourage reaching out with a call or text to see if fences can be mended before time runs out.

That suggestion can be met with fear — what if I’m rejected? — or doubt — is it really the right time? Schultz helps residents get past the fear of that unknown to take a risk and see what happens.

“Sometimes they just need a little bit of encouragement,” Schultz says. “I use the tools of active listening to provide feedback and encouragement to our residents, to listen to their fears and be there to walk alongside them in these difficult moments.”

Schultz recalls a resident who, approaching her last days, had a 24-hour rally, “a thing of grace God gives us, a last opportunity to say things that are

unsaid.” More than 50 relatives and friends poured into her room for what turned into a celebratory day of last conversations and hugs.

“When I talked with her the next day, she went on and on about how much of a blessing that was. As is common after a rally, she declined quickly and eventually passed. That one moment of being able to celebrate her life and see the impact she’s had on the generations following her — those are some of the successes I love.

“Not everyone finds the closure they’re looking for, though. Sometimes the closure is just talking with me, resolving within themselves rather than resolving with others. For some residents, that brings a level of closure that I can sometimes pass along to a family member.”

In addition to working with residents and families, Schultz also supports the staff. One of Beacon Hill’s strengths, he says, is the “really personal connections” the nonprofit’s team builds with those they care for. The longevity of many members of the care team creates “incredible relationships” that can make it difficult to say goodbye.

“When a resident passes, there’s a true sense of loss,” Schultz notes. “My role is to acknowledge that. It’s not just the family who feels that loss, it’s the Beacon Hill team. They need to be able to verbalize that. We work to provide opportunities for the staff both to say goodbye and to process their loss in the following weeks. I consider it a privilege to be part of people’s stories.”

Programming Enriches Lives of Residents

Resident-focused and customizable are the watchwords Sarah Johnson brings to programming at Beacon Hill.

WITH a background in hospitality and a focus squarely on her residents, Beacon Hill’s Service and Events Manager Sarah Johnson and the Life Enrichment team annually plan scores of engaging programs, performances, field trips and other activities for residents throughout the continuum of care.

“Our passion lies with keeping people happy and engaged when they’re here,” Johnson says. “We touch all senses. We try and bring a level of excellence to everything we offer. We pay attention to details, whether table settings or flyers or invites, to ensure our residents enjoy a quality experience.

“We work to stay creative and a little different than what other communities offer. If a resident has a good idea for a presentation or speaker or even a self-led book group, we’ll work with them to facilitate a launch and make sure they have the opportunity to thrive.”

A case in point is the Mad Hatters group, which took shape in 2023 as a group of knitters approached the Life Enrichment team with the idea of gathering weekly to create hats to donate. Life Enrichment found space, posted a blurb in Beacon Hill’s weekly newsletter and the group started to grow. Beacon Hill arranged transportation to local craft stores, solicited donations of supplies and purchased additional looms for hats.

Another is the now-annual Toot Toot parade, which has quickly become an anticipated tradition

after launching in 2023. A couple reached out to share a tradition of wearing masks, blowing horns and visiting their neighbors. Life Enrichment team member Elizabeth Tankersley helped them launch the Mardi Gras parade, complete with masks, beads and colorful noisemakers for parade marchers who stop along the way in Independent Living for treats and prizes.

“People loved it,” Johnson recalls. “They got into the camaraderie of the event. We have enveloped what was someone’s family tradition into a Beacon Hill tradition. We’re making sure things are relevant for the people who live here.”

Program highlights from 2023 include:

• MSU Music on the Road series featuring performers from the Michigan State University College of Music, which annually brings talented graduate students and faculty such as renowned baritone Mark Rucker to campus for live performances, which are sponsored by anonymous scholarships.

• Arts performances from West Michigan’s rich cultural tapestry, including performers from the Grand Rapids Symphony, Grand Rapids Ballet, West Michigan New Horizons Ensemble, Grand Rapids Opera Project, Calvin University and more.

• Engaging presenters, including perennial Grand Rapids favorites Caroline Cook and Dave Kampfschulte, along with Beacon Hill resident Rev. Maurice Fetty.

• Professional Roundtable series featuring Dr. Juan Olivarez, the past president of both Aquinas College and Grand Rapids Community College, author and adventurer John Otterbacher and professor and author Jennifer Holberg.

• Sustainability Focused Programming:

- Mushroom Week, which brought Pebble Creek Farms in for a discussion that featured a chefprepared sampling. Pebble Creek supplied a mushroom block that was put into the community garden. Residents also enjoyed a documentary on mushrooms and other mushroom-themed presentations.

- Virtual Screening of the 26th annual Wege Speaker Series, which featured the Hon. Shalanda H. Baker from the U.S. Department of Energy discussing “Energy, Equity & Justice: Meeting the Movement.”

• Travel Fridays, where Assisted Living residents can enjoy a culinary trip around the world and explore the cuisines of new countries.

• Specialized programming, including Senior Singalong, a weekly music therapy session, the Moving with Parkinson’s program offered by the Grand Rapids Ballet and Gazing at the GRAM, both for residents in higher levels of care.

• Community trips to the Grand Rapids Art Museum, Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park, Fulton Street Farmer’s Market, Gilmore Car Museum, MSU Extension Garden, Woodland Mall and more.

• Art Dart, a narrated bus tour of ArtPrize led by Caroline Cook of Grand Rapids Running Tours.

“Many of our Independent Living residents have been lifelong patrons of the arts,” Johnson notes. “They have a great appreciation for the arts and high expectations, so we take great care with our programming to meet the quality standards our residents are accustomed to.”

“We also strive to provide relevant programming for residents throughout our continuum of care. Making the transition from Independent Living to Assisted Living can be challenging as residents contemplate adjusting to a new environment. We try to mirror programming that residents have come to expect as they transition to our higher levels of care so activities and experiences can remain similar.”

One perennial favorite has been We The People, a weekly class led by resident Deb Snow, a retired East Kentwood High School civics teacher, patterned after the national program that promotes civic competence and responsibility in students. For the past 13 years, residents have gathered to discuss current events, watch relevant films and stay informed and active. As Snow looks to wind down, she’s working with residents to kick off another class titled Politics Today

“Ours is a customizable approach to programming,” Johnson says. “We really cater to our audience in the best way possible. We work with residents to identify the best offerings for our community. We spend a lot of time researching and listening so we can provide programming that will enhance their lives in a way that is meaningful.”

Programming Enriches Lives

1 - Boulder Ridge outing, Aug. 23; 2 - GRAM outing, Oct. 23; 3 - Reeds Lake outing, May 23; 4 - Mary Martha Guild Tea, Oct. 23; 5 - Fun with Floral, Oct. 23

6 - C Cook Farmers Market, Aug. 23; 7 - Floral keychain craft, March 23; 8 - Toot- Toot parade, Feb. 24; 9 - MS Science - garden cups, April 23; 10Dog visit, March 24

Volunteering by the numbers

RESIDENT

VOLUNTEER HOURS

256

Volunteer duties - One-to-one visiting, tea parties, BINGO, gift wrapping, hat making, cozy corners, passing out activity schedules, filling bird feeders, baking groups

COMMUNITY VOLUNTEER HOURS

1,175

One-to-one visiting, pet visits, live music, crafting, reading, manicures, reception desk

Resident Volunteers Group:

The residents who volunteer at Beacon Hill enhance the lives of our residents in Assisted Living, Memory Support and Skilled Nursing in a variety of ways.

The Independent Living residents who volunteer at Beacon Hill enhance the lives of their neighbors, friends and loved ones across the continuum in Assisted Living, Memory Support and Skilled Nursing. They provide one to one visits, assist with group activities and join residents on recreational outings in the community; all of which promote social, leisure and cognitive function.

Beacon Hill residents and staff volunteer at these local nonprofit organizations:

• American Cancer Society

• Beacon Hill Assisted Living Care and Memory Support

• Community Churches

• Emmanuel Hospice

• Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park

• Kids Food Basket

• Local Food Pantries

• Mel Trotter Ministries

Volunteer Organizations:

• Mad Hatters

• Empire Beauty School

• Good News Baptist Church

• Horrock’s Market

• Breton Downs Elementary School

• Covenant House Academy

And support these arts and educational institutions:

• Aquinas College

• Broadway Grand Rapids

• Calvin University

• Equine Assisted Development

• Ferris State University

• Grand Rapids Community College

• Grand Rapids Opera

• Grand Rapids Symphony

• Immaculate Heart of Mary Church

• Michigan State University

• PAWS for a Cause

• United Way

And serve on these local nonprofit boards:

• AANAC

• APIC

• Careerline Technical Center Advisory

• Cornerstone University

• David’s House Ministries

• Dwelling Place

• GRCC CNA Advisory Committee

• GRCC Nursing Advisory Committee

• GRCC Secchia Institute for Culinary Education Advisory Board

• HPS TAC

• KCTC Health Advisory Committee

• Mary Free Bed Hospital

• NADONA

• PRIISM Initiative

• Salvation Army

• YMCA Service Club

Beacon Hill at Eastgate generously supports these local organizations:

• Area Agency on Aging

• Emmanuel Hospice

• Forest Hills Community Services

• Greater Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce

• Local First

• MSU College of Music

• West Michigan Jazz Society

• Equine Assisted Development

• Ebony Road Players

• West Michigan New Horizons Music Ensembles

• Rockford Community Band

• Grand Rapids Symphonette

• The Schubert Male Chorus

• The Calder City Concert Band

• Calvin CALL

• Calvin Symphonic Orchestra

• Grand Rapids Accordion Ensemble

• Celebration Brass

• Grand Rapids Ballet

• GRAM

• Fulton Street Farmer’s Market

Investment in our local community:

• Any Colour You Like Popsicles

• AP Baked Goods

• Eastern Floral

• Equine Assisted Development

• FarmLink

– Aushouf’s Farm

– Blis

– Country Dairy

– Crisp County Acres

– Farm Country Cheese House

– Heffron Farms

– Heidi’s Farm Stand

– Michigan Bee Company

– Visser Farms

– Well’s Orchards

• Field and Fire

• Horrock’s Market

• IHM

• Louise Earl Butcher

• Mason Jones

• Furniture Donations to Pathway Senior Movers Consignment Shop

• Pebble Creek Produce

• Rowsters

• Southside Floral

• ThereforeGo Ministries –Volunteers in our Community Garden

• Cascade Rental Center

• Special Occasions West

Providing Unmatched Care Through Heart and Talent

Beacon Hill’s unsurpassed programs, worldclass cuisine and state-of-the-art facilities help set a new standard in senior living, but there’s one amenity that makes the most impact: a team of employees who truly care.

Beacon Hill’s exceptional care starts with a team of passionate, dedicated employees who share the commitment of helping residents live their very best lives in a supportive community. Now one of the largest employers in the Eastgate neighborhood, Beacon Hill’s success has been rooted in our team since our start as Michigan Christian Home in 1959. It’s a continuing passion for caring for seniors and rigorous standards of excellence that earned our team accolades over the years.

In the fall of 2023, Beacon Hill was recognized nationally — twice — for our extraordinary commitment to resident care.

First, U.S. News & World Report selected Beacon Hill for its Best Nursing Homes list, with the highest possible rating of five out of five. We were evaluated on resident care, safety, outcomes and other aspects of quality.

Shortly after, we were honored to learn Beacon Hill was featured in Newsweek’s list of America’s Best Continuing Care Retirement Communities. The list was developed through national online surveys, including recommendations from professionals,

care level assessments, acquaintance or resident rankings and quality assessments. Approximately 2,000 continuing care retirement communities operate within the U.S., and the list recognized the top 250. Beacon Hill was ranked at #41 nationwide — and #2 in the state of Michigan.

“We wouldn’t receive such prestigious recognitions without the unmatched dedication of our team,” President and CEO Jeff Huegli explains. “Every day, our team uses heart and talent to provide emotional connections, spiritual support and person-centered resources so residents can flourish. These awards reflect our team’s commitment to our residents, and we couldn’t be more honored to have their efforts recognized nationally.”

For the third year in a row, Beacon Hill earned the Great Place to Work® designation, a recognition given to employers who create an outstanding employee experience. To earn this achievement, every employee was surveyed on aspects such as pride in Beacon Hill’s community impact, belief that their work makes a difference and feeling their work has special meaning. In 2023, 86% of employees said Beacon Hill is a great place to work – 29% above the average U.S. company.

“This designation speaks to the exceptional culture and professionalism displayed by each employee at Beacon Hill at Eastgate,” Huegli says. “As a major employer in the Eastgate neighborhood, we

hope to give employees a rewarding and fulfilling place to work — one where they feel valued and appreciated as an integral part of our community’s overall well-being.”

It’s this commitment to exceptional care and culture that brings Beacon Hill employees together.

“Everyone is so nice here and treats each other like one big family,” says Sabrina Brooks, who joined Beacon Hill in 2022 as a server after working for another local retirement community. “I love to laugh and joke with my team. I’ve already formed so many friendships here.”

For Brooks, there are countless aspects of the job that give her fulfillment, but the biggest is creating relationships with the residents she serves.

“I’ve created close bonds with residents — we’ve gotten to know each other and talk every day I’m at work. They are interested in my personal life and will ask how my kids are doing.”

Being part of an award-winning culinary team inspires Brooks to grow in her profession. Every day, she learns something new about an ingredient or a cooking method. Brooks admires the Beacon Hill culinary team’s innovation and devotion to creating dishes that aren’t mundane.

“The residents love the menu variety — it makes them so happy,” Brooks says. “I’m proud to serve them such wonderful meals. I’ve never had a job where chefs make their own recipes and put so much care into the dining experience. When I haven’t heard of a recipe, we really work as a team to break it down so I can better explain it to residents. Whenever our other restaurants need help, we support each other.”

Community Services Manager Rob Bennett “can’t imagine working anywhere else.”

“When you join Beacon Hill, you very quickly learn the worth of the organization,” Bennett says. “The

first thing you’re drawn to are the residents. The second thing is the quality of the staff – and that comes from the top down.”

Bennett joined Beacon Hill in 2011 in a part-time role doing evening security and custodial work. Shortly after joining the team, his passion for the community of residents and employees sparked — and his responsibilities grew.

“I love what I do, whom I’m serving and the team I work with,” Bennett explains. “When I’m driving in the morning, I look forward to being here. When I leave in the evening, I look forward to coming back.”

“Someone once said, ‘If you love what you do, you never work a day in your life.’ That’s not true at all. If you love what you do, you work very, very hard.”

Bennett now oversees a team of 10 maintenance and security professionals and has instilled his passion for the Beacon Hill community through his family tree. Bennett’s son works alongside him on the maintenance team, and his daughter helps run programming.

Throughout Bennett’s 13-year career with Beacon Hill, there have been many renovations and additions to the community, but one thing hasn’t changed: the team’s approach to “treating residents with dignity and respect and committing themselves to hard work and each other.”

“I’ve always felt supported here. Right after COVID hit full force, our leadership team was here every day to see that the job got done,” Bennett recalls.

“We have a really great team that values communication and collaboration. Some of the most productive meetings happen when you bump into a coworker in the hallway and talk about an upcoming project. At the same time, while you’re chatting with them, you have a laugh or two. It’s those little moments that keep you moving.”

COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT:

Mark Pasma

Board Trustee

Board member Mark Pasma’s connection to Beacon Hill at Eastgate goes back to the 1970s and Friday lunches with his grandfather, who was a resident at what was then Michigan Christian Home.

As a teenager, he would make the trip to Boston Street and pick up his grandfather for lunch. Pasma remembers relishing the opportunity to connect one-on-one with his beloved grandfather and continue the special relationship forged when he was a child.

When Beacon Hill CEO Jeff Huegli asked Pasma to join the Board of Directors in 2008, he jumped at the opportunity. While the businessman had made a name for himself growing successful franchise businesses in West Michigan, he also made time for giving back to his Hudsonville community as a volunteer at his grandchildren’s schools, his church and weekend programs and activities. Being a Board member, Pasma knew, would allow him to continue being an instrument of service.

“Our best gift to the community is providing a positive atmosphere that is demonstrated through a neat, clean, caring environment as well as a positive reputation for treating people well both in and outside of the Beacon Hill community,” Pasma says.

“I always go back to the Golden Rule: Treat People the Way You Want to be Treated.”

Pasma points to a number of things that differentiate Beacon Hill from other senior living communities:

Person-centered care: He believes Beacon Hill provides the best possible medical, emotional and spiritual care.

Culinary offerings: He knows the nonprofit’s diverse culinary offerings have earned a well-deserved reputation for excellence — and set a high bar when it comes to expectations.

Standard of excellence: He believes Beacon Hill has high standards of excellence in everything it does, which are reflected in the positive image it has in the community.

“Beacon Hill is our residents’ home. It’s important for us to listen to the residents and attend to their needs. We believe in hiring the best. It’s vital to recruit the best people to work here, train them properly and retain them so that we can provide consistent care and service to our residents.”

Pasma credits this focus and work ethic to an early mentor he met while living and working in Flint. For a number of years, the two had breakfast together several times a week.

“He was a business owner, well-known in the community for being gracious and serving others,” Pasma recalls. “A consummate glass-half-full person, he always saw the bright side. He taught me about the need to care for people, how important it was to take care of the people around you, even if it meant a personal sacrifice.”

One of those early lessons still resonates with Pasma. He remembers calling his mentor, frustrated, and asking for advice. He was told to be thankful: “God is trying to teach you a lesson here,” his mentor said. “Look for the lesson. Pull yourself up and get through it.”

Pasma reflects on these words often. “We are not promised a wonderful life full of roses and blue skies,” he says. “It’s how we react to the thorns and the storm clouds that matters. For a faith-based person like me, that is where my faith kicks in. God’s plans might not be our plans, but we can still trust Him for the outcome, even if it’s not what we want it to be.”

Beacon Hill’s foundation as a community serving retiring Baptist missionaries, pastors and their spouses still resonates deeply with Pasma.

When talking about his community involvement, Pasma says “I choose to invest my time where I have the biggest impact on the people who are most important to me. My family. We have six grandchildren between the ages of 18 months and 12 years. My wife, Jan, and I volunteer at the school and at their events. We want to age gracefully and be fun grandparents. My life is all about family and leaving the best heritage that we can.”

A Look Back

Pioneers of Community Care at Michigan Christian Home

In the annals of Michigan Christian Home’s history, the names Scott and Athena McCurdy stand as pillars of dedication and service. As the first Board Chair and a leading figure within the organization respectively, their tireless efforts helped shape the institution into a beacon of compassion and care for the elderly. Their story is not just one of administrative duties, but of a deep-rooted commitment to uplifting lives and fostering a sense of community among residents.

Scott McCurdy (1907 - 1995) brought a wealth of leadership and enthusiasm to the newly created Michigan Christian Home. His vision and determination laid the groundwork for what would become a haven for seniors in need. Working alongside him was his wife, Athena McCurdy (1909 - 2004), a woman equally dedicated to the cause.

As the organization’s archivist, Athena played a pivotal role in documenting its journey and preserving its rich heritage for posterity.

To assist in financing the construction of the home, Athena and several other board members’ wives banded together to form an Auxiliary. This group took on the monumental task of fundraising, reaching out to local Baptist churches and mobilizing support for the project.

Athena was a leader and served as archivist for the organization. She described,

“Those were days of excitement and joy as the huge pieces of equipment were put to work.”

Their efforts extended far beyond fundraising. The Auxiliary members rolled up their sleeves and got involved in every aspect of the project. From sewing curtains to enrolling in nursing courses offered by the Red Cross, they left no stone unturned in their quest to support the new residents. Their commitment to serving others knew no bounds.

One of the most innovative initiatives spearheaded by the Auxiliary was the introduction of a shopping cart service. Armed with a kitchen cart borrowed from the community, they went door to door, giving residents the opportunity to shop for essentials and treats. This simple yet profound gesture brought immense joy to the residents, who affectionately dubbed it “the store on wheels.”

Years later, under the stewardship of Administrator Mr. Byron Wild, the concept of community care continued to evolve. Inspired by the Auxiliary’s spirit of generosity, a shop named “Cozy Corner” was established within the premises. This shop not only provided residents with access to household items but also served as a hub for social interaction and camaraderie.

The legacy of Scott and Athena McCurdy lives on in the halls of Michigan Christian Home, just as “Cozy Corner” lives on for our residents today. Their pioneering efforts laid the foundation for a culture of compassion and service that continues to thrive to this day. Their story serves as a testament to the transformative power of community and the enduring impact of selfless dedication. As we honor their memory, we also reaffirm our commitment to upholding the values they held dear — kindness, empathy and the belief in the inherent dignity of every individual.

1-MSU On the Road, Feb. 24; 2-Mussels in the Club Dining Room; 3-Baking class, Nov. 23; 4-River Rogues Concert on the Green face painting; 5-Mad Hatters knitting; 6-Art Gallery visit; 7-Floral arrangement class, March 23; 8-Cooling off with ice cream, June 23; 9-C Cook Farmers Market, Aug. 23; 10-River Rogues; 11-Traveling Plate